Collapsible fruit box and holder therefor



J'uly 15',` 1924.4 l 1 1,501,812

O. W. SCHULZ COLLAFSIBLE FRUIT -Box- AND HOLDER THEEFOR- Filed Marh .11 1922 'sheets-Sheet .2

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O. W. SCHULZ COLLAPSIBLE FRUIT BOX AND HOLDER THEREFOR Filed 1VlaIChll, 1922 3 SheeS-Sheet 5 INVENTOR l 0&0 Uschi/Liz of Colorado,

-. adapted to be shipped to Patented July 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES OTTO W. SCHULZ,OF DENVER, COLORADO.

COLLAPSIBLE FRUIT BOX AND HOLDER THEREFOR.

Application lec March 11. 1922.

T all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, @rre IV. SCHULZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State have invented new vand useful Improvements in Collapsible Fruit Boxes and Holders Therefor, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to a collapsible fruit box and holder, the holder being especially adapted for retaining the box during assembly and while being packed.

One object is to provide a box formed from a particular blank, or blanks, and

the user in quantities, and in knocked down condition, and to be placed in a particular form of holder where the sides are retained before the bottom is placed in position and secured,- the. box being packed from the lower side and the holder being inverted.

further object is to provide a particular form of container adapted for packing from the bottom. in order that the fruit may be placed with the stems projecting inwardly, thereby saving time as compared with the operation of placing the fruit when the box is packed from the top.

A further object is to provide a holder which will accommodate a plurality7 of elements for retaining several boxes in position, to permit of packing, and in position to be easily held by the fingers of the operator when the packed boxes are inverted.

lith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of elements described and claimed, it being understood that modifications may be made. within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the holder for the boxes; Figure 2 shows one box in vertical section and a fragment of the base with a holder thereon; Figure 3 is a detail view of the strip adapted to be applied to the base of Figure 1 to form the box holders there shown; F igure 4 is a view of the blank from which the boxes may be formed; Figure 5 is a per` spective view of a completed box; Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 5; Figure 7 shows another form of blank, produced from two independent sheets secured together bystaples; Figure 8 is a. perspective View of the box made from this blank Serial No. 543,012.

tongue engaging the slot 16 inclement 14.

The bottom, designated 18, is connected with element. 10 by means of strip 19, and this bottom is provided with lateral extensions 20, 21 and 22 which lie adjacent to the edges of the side elements when the device is assembled. The extension, strip, or iap 21 is provided with apertures 23 adapted to register with apertures 24 of element 12, permitting the bottom to be secured by means 0f a wire clip or the like, designated 25. A cut-away portion is shown at 26, facilitating operation of the assembly.

The side elements are separated by score lines 28, and score lines 29 permit of securing the bottom in position, with its lower surface spa-ced from the adjacent edges of the side members.

In the modified form shown in Figure 7, the bottom 30 is provided with an extension formed of two strips 31 and 32 separated by score line 33, element 32 being secured to the side 34 of the box, by means of wire clips, or the like designated 35.

In this form special referenceshould also be made to the. elements 37 and 38, constituting the overlapping side elements of the box. Element 37 is provided with apertures 40, and element 38 with apertures 39 adapted to register for the accommodation of the securing device 25. Cut-away portions are shown at 43 and 44, for convenience in assembling.

Element 37 is slotted as shown at 46, this slot being engaged by the element 47 formed by providing the. angular slot 48 in element 38. Element 38 may be regarded as being provided with two tongues 47 and 47', the latter being cut-away to form a notch 50 to be engaged by the edge portion 51 of element 37.

The holder includes a base or board 55 provided with a central handle 56, and provided with four individual box retaining elements. It is obvious that lany suitable number may be employed.y These elements are upon any of apgroximately the. size of the box to be produced from the blank, and each includes a single strip comprising the portions oil, 6i, 6'2 and 625 adapted to be secured to the base 55. The upstanding portions 64, 65, 66 and 6T are at right anglesivith the elements previously named and orm an inclosure in which the box is to be assembledn The end elements or' the blank are brought into overlapping` relation, to form one of the sides of the box, and the four sided enclosure thus produced is placed in one of the holders carried by base 55, the bottom of the box extending outwardly and being` thus far unsecured. The box then is packed Jfrom the bottom, the fruit being properly placed, with the stems projectinginwardly, and at thel proper time the bottom is folded over and depressed so that the edges of the extensions carried by the bottom are flush with the edges of the sides of the box. The Wire clip` or other securing device is then placed in position, and after all ot' the boxes are similarly packed. the operator retains the boxes by placing his fingers around the edges ot the base 55, and inverts the latter, permitting` the boxes to slip out and rest suitable stationary support, and. in uin'ight position.

The outer portion of the handle is approximately on the level with the bottom edges of the boxes before the base is inverted, and additional spacing devices 70 may be provided in the form oit posts or morele legs. these elements extending slightly beyond the bottoni edges of the boxes, and takingl any strain off oi the boxes, by contact with the surface of the table or the like, ,vhile the base is tapped slightly to loosen the boxes in the event that the latter do not iii-ee themselves at once.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

l. The combination With a box having a bottom attached at one side edge and Jfree at the other edges, ot a flanged holder 'tor rcceiving the box and constituting :i temporary bottom therefor When the box is inverted Ytor packing, the bottom lirst named being' fully secured before the box is placed in an upright position utter packingA 2. The combination with a collapsible box including1 a bottom connected with one side Wall to the exclusion ot the remaining side Walls, the box bot-tom including extensions positioned tor connection ivith t-he said remaining side Walls, of a holder for receiving; the box in inverted position, said holder comprising a base, abox receiving device having Walls 'forming an inclosure for the box, and ianged portions 'tor connection with the base, and means carried by the base Jfor spacing the holder from a supporting elemenb when the box is reversed and caused to assume an upright position.

In testimony ivhereoi:v I a-ix my signature.

OTTO W. SCHULZ. 

